Gaseous
exchange
the exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide between an organism and its
environment
Terminology
Term Definition
Aerobic occurring in the presence of oxygen
Anaerobic occurring in the absence of oxygen
Aquatic (plants and animals) living in water
Breathing / mechanical process of inhalation and exhalation through which air moves in and out of the respiratory organs enabling the uptake of oxygen and the
removal of carbon dioxide
ventilation
Cellular respiration the breakdown of organic compounds (glucose / sugar) in the mitochondria of cells into inorganic products (CO2 and H2O) with
the release of cellular energy (ATP); either aerobic or anaerobic
Diffusion the movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration until equilibrium is reached
Gaseous exchange the exchange of O2 and CO2 at a respiratory surface occurring between the air and blood and blood and cells
Glucose a simple sugar which is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates
Mitochondrion an organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the cellular respiration and energy production occur
Respiratory surface is a membrane through which gas exchange takes place
Terrestrial (plants and animals) living on land
Carbohydrates a large group of organic compounds found in cells, including glucose, sucrose, and starch
Introduction
• It is important to distinguish between breathing,
gaseous exchange, and cellular respiration.
• Why do we need to breathe?
• All organisms, from simple, unicellular to
more advanced multicellular organisms need
oxygen (O2) to sustain cellular functions.
Oxygen is used to release energy from
carbohydrates found in cells.
• Plants and animals need energy for survival.
Organisms are structurally suited to ensure
that the process of the exchange of gases is
optimised.
• More complex animals have a mechanism of
breathing that ensures that gases enter their
bodies, and this enables gaseous exchange
and cellular respiration to occur efficiently.
Key concepts
• Breathing
• This is a mechanical process taking oxygen into
the lungs.
• Gaseous exchange
• A physical process which involves the exchange
of gases between the air and blood in the lungs.
• Cellular respiration
• A chemical process which takes place in the cells
to release energy
Requirements of
efficient gas
exchange organs
• For gases to effectively diffuse
across respiratory surfaces,
certain requirements must be
met this is important for both
terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
Relationship between
respiratory structures and
efficient gaseous exchange
in different organisms
• All organisms, from simple unicellular to
complex multicellular, rely on gaseous
exchange for survival. The amount of O2
taken up and CO2 released depends on the
ratio of surface area to volume of the
organism. What does this mean?
• Surface area is the combination of all
the exposed surfaces of the organism.
• The volume is the space taken up by
the same organism.
• Therefore, the surface area to volume
ratio would be the amount of surface
an organism has relative to its size.
• In general, the smaller the organism
the larger the surface area to volume
ratio.
Requirements for effective gaseous exchange surface
large thin & permeable moist well-ventilated protection transport system
Dicotyledonous plant (leaf and spongy mesophyll)
flat surface increases thin-walled cells allow for water vapour passes through air movement around leaves cuticle and lower epidermis simple diffusion
exposure to air diffusion stomata
Earthworm (skin)
elongated cylindrical body covering is thin mucous glands keep the skin air movement around the body thin cuticle diffusion
shape moist
Insect (tracheal system)
extensively branched lining of tracheoles is thin tracheoles are moist rhythmic body movements move exoskeleton and chitin rings network of tubules
tracheae and tracheoles air in and out throughout the body
Bony fish (gills)
branched gill filaments thin membranes aquatic animals live in water water taken in through the mouth gills are protected by a bony heart and blood
increase surface area is forced out over the gills cover, the operculum vessels
Mammals (lungs)
bronchioles divide into alveoli have thin mucus cells secrete a thin diaphragm and ribcage regulate ribs protect the lings circulatory system
many alveoli squamous epithelium layer on moisture inhalation and exhalation
layer
Human gaseous exchange: structure,
location, functions, and adaptations of the
ventilation system
• Location of the human gaseous
system
• The human gaseous exchange
/ventilation system begins from the
nose in the head and moves down the
windpipe/ trachea located in the neck
and extends into the bronchi and lungs
within the thoracic cavity(chest).
• The diaphragm is the gaseous
exchange muscle that separates the
thoracic (chest) cavity from the
abdominal cavity.
Structure of the human
gaseous exchange system
Structural suitability
of gaseous exchange
system
• The human gas exchange
system is well designed or
structurally suited to carry
out the function of
gaseous exchange.
Structural suitability
of gaseous exchange
system
Structural suitability of gaseous exchange system
Structural
suitability of
gaseous
exchange
system
• The main function of the gaseous exchange system
in humans is to take oxygen from the air into the
Functions of lungs during inhalation so that this oxygen-rich air
reaches the alveoli, where gaseous exchange takes
place, so that the oxygen diffuses into the blood to
the gaseous be transported to the cells of the body. It then
receives carbon dioxide from the cells of the body
exchange after cellular respiration to be expelled from the
body via exhalation.
system • Gaseous exchange happens between:
• Alveoli surface and capillaries
• Capillaries and tissues
Gaseous exchange
in the lungs at the
alveoli surface
• The air entering the alveoli after
inhalation has a high oxygen
concentration compared to the
oxygen concentration in the blood
of the surrounding capillaries.
• The inhaled air has a lower carbon
dioxide concentration than that of
the blood in the surrounding
capillaries.
• This results in oxygen diffusing
(moving) from the alveoli into the
blood and carbon dioxide diffusing
(moving) from the blood and back
into the alveoli to be exhaled.
Gaseous exchange between the blood and tissues
• The cells will have a high carbon dioxide concentration due to continuing cellular
respiration.
• This carbon dioxide moves out of the cells and diffuses into the blood and is
transported back to the heart and then to the lungs where it is exhaled.
• Carbon dioxide is transported from the cells to the alveoli where it is removed from the
body.
• The air in the alveoli will be exhaled with more carbon dioxide than the air that had
been inhaled.
• Oxygen is transported mainly by the red blood cells. Most of the oxygen combines with
the pigment haemoglobin present in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) to form
oxyhaemoglobin. It is transported via the circulatory system to all body cells for
respiration to produce energy (ATP) for the cells.
• Most of the carbon dioxide is transported in the blood plasma in the form of
bicarbonate ions from the cells and tissue to the lungs to be exhaled.
Ventilation of the lungs
Term definition
Ventilation The exchange of air between the lungs and the atmosphere so that oxygen can be
exchanged for carbon dioxide in the alveoli
Alveoli The tiny air sacs in the lungs.
Homeostasis It is a process of maintaining a constant internal environment within the body.
Inhalation Breathing in of air
Exhalation Breathing out of air
Spirometer An instrument used to measure the volume of air that enters and leaves the human lungs
during inhalation and exhalation
Ventilation
Inhalation is the process of taking air into the lungs. During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and the
It is the active phase of ventilation because it is the thoracic cavity increases in volume. This decreases
result of muscle contraction. the pressure so that air flows into the lungs.
Inhalation
Exhalation
• When the heart rate increases, blood flow also increases.
• Rapid transport of gases to and from the cells occurs.
• When carbon dioxide levels rise, the cells in the respiratory
centre of the medulla oblongata of the brain are
Homeostatic stimulated.
• Increased rate and depth of breathing causes the
control of intercostal muscles and the diaphragm to contract and
breathing relax.
• More oxygen is inhaled, and more carbon dioxide is
exhaled.
• The levels of carbon dioxide in the blood determine the
rate and depth of breathing.
• The ability of the body to return the levels the normal is
known as homeostasis
